Braces pain - what to do?
introduction
Beautiful and straight teeth are the ideal of beauty nowadays and more and more young people and adults are using orthodontics to straighten their teeth. The orthodontist can produce an aesthetic result with a wide variety of appliances. A fixed appliance is often essential for this. But especially the first time after inserting the fixed braces can cause severe discomfort for the patient. But why is the pain caused by the braces and how can this pain be alleviated?
Why do braces cause pain?
In the first few days after inserting the fixed or loose braces, all tissues within the oral cavity must adapt to the new condition. The cheeks and lips as well as the tongue have less space. The mucous membrane is irritated by the brackets or the wires and small wounds occur.
The flow of saliva is stimulated and the entire oral cavity is extremely sensitive due to the adaptation to the new condition. Sticking wires can also cause sores inside the oral cavity that are very uncomfortable. Another problem are the wire ends, which have to be rounded off so as not to damage the oral mucosa.
But not only the soft tissue within the oral cavity can cause discomfort from the braces, toothache is also possible. Due to the fixed and loose braces, a strong pressure and tensile load is transferred to the teeth so that they receive an impulse to move. This pain can be severe, but it will subside after a few days
After each new wire insertion, in which a different wire size is used, and where new or greater force acts on the teeth, these complaints can appear briefly. The same goes for tightening wires on removable clasps. The pain that occurs can be so intense that it is only possible to consume soft food for a short time, because chewing is painful.
Oral hygiene is also crucial. The equipment makes oral hygiene more difficult, but it is very important to prevent tooth decay. An unnoticed tooth decay due to poor oral hygiene in hard-to-reach areas also causes pain. Since multiple factors play a role, it is advisable to consult the treating orthodontist or dentist if the pain persists.
What is the best way to relieve the pain of braces?
- Small open sores in the oral cavity hurt the most. To protect the affected areas, the metal parts should be lined with a dental wax in these areas. The wax covers the sharp and irritating areas and gives the wounded area the opportunity to regenerate and heal again.
- However, if the wounds are too large or deep, the wax will not be of sufficient help. In these cases, a surface anesthetic can be applied to numb the affected area for a few hours.
- Rinsing with chlorhexidine also provides short-term relief due to its bactericidal effect. Both the gel and the chlorhexidine rinse do not require a prescription and are available from pharmacies.
- Sucking ice or external cooling with a cooling compress also helps.
- Home remedies such as gargling with sage tea or salt water can also provide temporary relief from symptoms.
- If the pain is too severe, pain medication should be used as a last resort and the treating dentist or orthodontist should be consulted to find out the cause.
Which pain relievers work best?
If the pain from the braces is too great, painkillers must be used. Since the wounds through the wire and brackets can become infected, the pain reliever of choice is ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is anti-inflammatory, so it's good for the pain caused by braces.
However, ibuprofen is not recommended for stomach diseases, as it attacks the gastric mucosa more often. Since most of the patients are children and adolescents, the dosage prescribed by the orthodontist or dentist must be strictly observed and not exceeded.
Self-medication by the parents or the patient is also not advisable.
If ibuprofen cannot be prescribed due to the general medical history and previous illnesses, paracetamol is used. This pain medication can damage the liver if overdosed as it is broken down in this organ. Therefore, the prescribed dosage must be observed here.
You can also read our topic: Ibuprofen for toothache
Homeopathy for pain relief with braces
There is an orthodontic supportive therapy through homeopathy, which promotes the success of the therapy and alleviates pain symptoms. There are dozens of preparations that are individually tailored to the patient and are prescribed according to various criteria. Age, physical condition and orthodontic treatment are important.
The attending physician diagnoses in advance and then decides which homeopathic preparation is suitable for the patient. Unauthorized medication is not recommended in order not to impair the success of the therapy.
Read more about this at: Homeopathy for toothache
How long does the pain last with fixed braces?
The complaints after using a fixed appliance are short-lived. The tissues of the oral cavity have to adapt to the new conditions and the new stress caused by pressure and tension is also a new occurrence for the teeth. This results in pain, which usually subsides after one to two weeks.
When changing the wire, increased pressure will be placed on the teeth, which in turn can cause pain. These complaints are also only temporary and completely disappear after a few days. If symptoms persist after two weeks, the orthodontist or dentist treating you should be consulted.
How long does the pain last with loose braces?
With loose braces, the affected person generally has significantly fewer complaints than with fixed appliances, as these are usually only worn at night. Some of these braces are stretched further by the patient at certain time intervals by turning an integrated screw with a key. Immediately after the rotation, a feeling of pressure is normal as the jaws are stretched and the teeth also move.
Something similar occurs after the orthodontist has tightened ("activated") the wires. After a day or two, however, you can no longer feel it. After each rotation, this state is repeated briefly until the symptoms disappear after a maximum of two days.
Read more on the topic: The loose braces
Pain from brackets on the braces
The brackets, which are attached to each tooth with a fixed appliance, narrow the oral cavity or, with the lingual technique, the tongue. The different types of tissue are rough and the brackets cause discomfort due to their protruding position. Simply attaching the brackets by etching and fixing them with plastic is usually not painful. The tensile load from the wire can also cause toothache via the brackets as the load is transferred to the teeth and the loads exceed the normal force.
However, these complaints are short-lived. Once the teeth have adapted to the new condition, the symptoms disappear.
What pain occurs when inserting fixed braces?
When the fixed appliance is inserted, new stress is placed on the teeth. Fastening the brackets alone is usually not painful at all, only when the wire is anchored in the brackets and a force is exerted on the teeth, discomfort occurs. The teeth are moved into the intended position by pressure and tensile loads, which can cause severe pain. These complaints occur every time the wire is changed, but disappear completely after a few days.
What pain is caused when removing fixed braces?
Usually the removal of the fixed appliance is not painful. First, the wire anchorage is loosened, the wire is removed and the individual brackets are removed with special pliers. This is not painful, as the bond between the brackets and the teeth can easily be loosened using the pliers. Since not all of the plastic is removed in the process, the remaining plastic residue is ground off and the teeth polished, which again shouldn't be painful.
After a day or two, the entire oral cavity will get used to the new condition. In most cases, after removing the fixed braces, a retainer is attached to the front to prevent the teeth from being pushed back, which also requires a period of getting used to, but does not cause any discomfort.
A retainer means braces behind the incisors. Read on under: Braces behind the teeth
